BTS Bay Area is pleased to announce the first in a series of Conversations on racism and the importance of Black lives. We have amazing and esteemed panel members willing to share their personal stories of being black and the impact that wrestling and mentorship had on their lives. They will also discuss the importance of the work that BTS Bay Area is undertaking.
In February 2019, we formed BTS Bay Area to improve the lives of youth in disadvantaged communities through the sport of wrestling and mentorship. We focused our initial programs in Oakland, partnering with the OUSD, to launch afterschool wrestling programs in the Spring of 2019. We partnered with the Award Winning Summer Program Aim High to offer a program at the Oakland Westlake Middle School in 2019 and a distance enrichment program with Aim High in 2020 featuring many notable wrestling luminaries including BTS Board Members Cynthia Calvillo and Lee Kemp (see: https://www.btsbayarea.org/summer2020). Prior to COVID BTS Bay Area planned to launch its first year round academy at the Oakland Housing Authority with BTS Board Member and Oakland Native Reggie Lee as our head coach.
BTS Bay Area believes the horrors of racial injustice have greatly impacted Black lives and that indifference and inaction make us complicit in the systematic and disproportionate racism and violence against Black people. As an organization we stand for giving back and helping those in need. BTS Bay Area’s mission is to be part of the solution and to combat inequality in our community to help create lasting change. We focus on the grass roots, bottom up effort of providing opportunity to help kids achieve their potential so they mature into productive, engaged citizens who know they matter and can affect society positively. We believe communication and dialogue regarding issues facing Black wrestlers is critical in this mission and therefore, BTS Bay Area is sponsoring at least two events to begin the dialogue and conversation for everyone in our community to be better informed and take action.
Our first panel conversation regarding the importance of Black lives and the impact of wrestling will be on Wednesday August 5th at 12:00 noon and will feature BTS Board Member and former Harvard Wrestler Reggie Lee as Moderator and 3x world Champion, MBA and BTS Board Member Lee Kemp, World Champion and Olympic Bronze Medalist and JD Chris Campbell, and NCAA and Cornell Graduate Nahshon Garrett. Register to attend via https://respond.orrick.com/v/cledp1qq.
Our second panel, focusing on the unique challenges and voices of Black women wrestlers, will be held on September 16th at 12:00 noon (PST).
Beat the Streets Bay Area is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity (EIN:83-4031157)
Event Sponsor:
